ElkeStackfleth

FAQ

How do I know whether I am eligible to study in Germany?

You can find out yourself whether your school or study certificates entitle you to study in Germany by using the database anabin of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Federal States in the Federal Republic of Germany . Uni-assist checks your submitted documents on the basis of this database, too.

How do I apply to Harz University?

Please inform yourself about the admission requirements first. Then apply via uni-assist e.V. for our university. We recommend an early application to enable uni-assist to demand and check missing documents in due time.

Please note that uni-assist will not check your application until you have completed your online application and uni-assist has received both your application documents by post and the handling fees.

Can I apply for a Studienkolleg (Preparatory Course) at Harz University?

Unfortunately, not. Harz University does not run its own Studienkolleg.

Applicants who have to complete a preparatory course at a so called Studienkolleg first or need to acquire a recognised language certificate contact our Landesstudienkolleg, please. It is located in Köthen at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences. On behalf of the universities of the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt it prepares international applicants for their studies in terms of language and/or subject.

However, you are free to apply to one of the other German Studienkollegs in order to obtain a recognised language certificate or the so called Feststellungsprüfung (assessment test):http://studienkollegs.de/home.html

Which documents do I have to submit for my application at Harz University?

Information on the documents to be submitted via uni-assist can be found on our homepage.

Please note that additional documents are required, especially for Master's programmes. You can find out about the additionally required documents in the admission regulations of the respective degree programme.

Never submit original certificates, but only officially certified copies. Your application documents will be stored at uni assist for documentation purposes for a limited period of time and will not be returned.

How much does it cost to study at Harz University?

There are no tuition fees to be paid for studying at Harz University. There is only charged a semester contribution each semester. This covers administrative costs as well as a semester ticket for free use of buses at our two study locations Wernigerode and Halberstadt and their surroundings.

However, you should be aware that the living expenses in Germany can be much higher than in your home country.

Can I apply for a German language course at Harz University?

Unfortunately, not. Language courses aiming at a recognised certificate are offered by the Studienkollegs in Germany.

There also is a wide range of German courses at language schools and language institutes. As these institutions usually do not offer one of the recognised language certificates, you should find out in detail which language certificates are accepted by our university.

Where can I get a certificate to prove my German language skills?

Worldwide both the Goethe-Instituts and the TestDaF-Institut offer the opportunity to acquire certified proofs of German language skills. It is also possible to get a certified language certificate at a Studienkolleg in Germany.

Do I have to send my application documents to uni-assist?

That depends on the desired degree. If you have foreign educational certificates, please check our homepage first to find out whether you have to submit your application via the portal of Harz University of Applied Sciences or via uni-assist e.V. The information listed there applies to applications for full-time studies in the Bachelor's and Master's programmes at the Harz University, regardless of your citizenship.

I have applied to uni-assist. What are the next steps?

After receipt of your application it will be checked by uni-assist. If your application is complete and if you meet the admission requirements, uni-assist will forward your documents to our university.

If you are applying for a degree programme that does not require admission, you will be sent your admission letter to the programme promptly.

Admission to a degree programme with restricted admission is based on a ranking after the application deadline.

In my attachment you will find my certificates and my curriculum vitae. Can you please check whether I
can start my studies?

Unfortunately, we cannot verify your academic performance and language proficiency directly. Since uni-assist checks the eligibility requirements for a Harz University programme on behalf of our university we kindly ask you to apply via uni-assist.

Before applying to uni-assist, you can verify if your foreign qualification complies with the general requirements to study at a German higher education institution by using the anabin database to independently check whether your certificates entitle you to study in Germany:https://anabin.kmk.org/anabin.html

Is it possible to have examination results from earlier study periods recognised for my studies at Harz University?

Yes, that’s possible, but only after your matriculation. In advance, however, it is not possible to check a possible recognition or to give a forecast as to the extent to which examination achievements can be recognised when enrolling in the first semester.

I would like to apply for a higher semester

We strongly recommend international applicants to apply for the 1st semester. Often the application for a higher semester aims at shortening your studies.

Before applying for a study placement in a higher semester, you should consider the following points:

- Even if you have already completed a course of study in your home country in the desired subject area, placement in a higher semester does not mean that all the necessary examinations from previous semesters will be recognised. As a rule - in addition to the examinations of the higher semester - you will also have to take examinations from the previous semesters. This faces you not only with a higher workload, but also with the expiring examination deadlines for courses in previous semesters. There may also be an overlapping between lectures and examination times.

- Placement in a higher semester does not automatically mean that you will receive a place to study. Getting admission in a hihger semester depends on whether there are free study places available in this semester. At that time, both the application deadline and the admission procedure for the 1st semester have been completed already. If you cannot be offered a place in a higher semester, it is too late for the application for the 1st semester. However, it is not possible to apply for a higher semester as well as for the 1st semester.

- Even if you are admitted to the 1st semester, for registered students it is generally possible to have recognised academic performances from earlier study periods and thus to complete their studies in a shorter period of time. An application for recognition and a statement as to which academic achievements can be recognised is possible after your enrolment only. The respective lecturer decides on recognition of examination achievements after successful enrolment. In addition to your transcript of records, proof of the contents of previous courses (e.g. course/module descriptions) is also required.

Am I allowed to work while studying?

Students can generally work up to 20 hours a week during the semester. However, depending on the country of origin, certain regulations apply.

Students from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland do not need a work permit to work while studying.

Students from non-EU countries are allowed to work a maximum of 120 days (max. 8 hours/day) or 240 half days (max. 4 hours/day) per year without a work permit.

If you earn more than 400 euros per month or work more than 20 hours a week, you will be charged social security fees.

Self-employment or freelance work is not permitted.

An exception is working as an academic assistant. There is no limit of days academic assistants may work. However, they still have to inform the foreigners' office.